Torpedo shield for ships



Oct. 19, 1943. c. T. RUSS TORPEDO SHIELD FOR SHIPS 1942. 3 Sheets-Sheet l- Filed Dec. 10

Inventor Charles Z 720.55

QM and 0611. 19, 1943. c 1' uss TORPEDO SHIELD FOR SHIPS Filed Dec. 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct 1943. c. T. RUSS 2,331,933

TORPEDO SHIELD FOR SHIPS Filed Dec. 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor y fimr/es 175 2455 WWW Patented Oct. 19, 1943 'UNHTED STATES l ATrE-NT OFFICE Application December 10, 1942, Serial No. 468,563

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for protecting ships from torpedoes and has for its primary object to provide a net adapted to be towed from the bow of the ship and extending outwardly and rearwardly along each side of the ship for the purpose of deflecting or exploding torpedoes before the latter can reach the ship.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a detail of the guides at the rear ends of the net for maintaining the net out wardly from the sides of the ship.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the drums on which the nets are rolled at the bow of the ship.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of one of the steering guides for the rear end of the net, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the net.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the bow of the ship 6 having a pair of shafts 1 journaled in bearing brackets 8 and disposed in vertically spaced relation, the lower ends of the rollers having drums 9 secured thereto and to each of which a net It is attached at one end.

The net H] is formed of spaced parallel cables 1! extending longitudinally of the ship and between which the net is secured to provide a flexible shield that extends throughout the entire length of the ship immediately below the water line thereof.

To the upper end of the rollers 'l' are secured pulleys 12, each having a belt l3 trained thereover leading to a power plant M secured on the deck of the ship immediately adjacent the bow and arranged to drive the belts 13 whereby to roll the nets on the drums 9, when desired.

Secured to the rear ends of the upper and lower cables H is a pair of steering devices H5 in the form of a paravane, the steering device including a cone-shaped member l6 having a bar I! extending transversely at its open end and to which the cable II is attached. The open end of the cone I6 is positioned forwardly and projecting from the lower surface of the cone is a fin E8 to which a vertical rudder I9 is pivotally attached and adapted for securing in adjusted position in order to steer the rear end of the net away from the ship as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the cone l5 are a pair of horizontal fins 20 to the rear edge of which levators 2! are pivotally attached. The elevators 2| are secured in adjusted position by means of a turnbuckle device 22 connecting the elevators to the fins 20 and a similar turnbuckle 23 secures the rudder IS in adjusted position.

The elevator 2! of the uppermost cable of the net is positioned to extend downwardly with respect to its associated cone [6 and the elevator 21 attached to the lowermost cable of the net is inclined in an upward direction, as shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawings, or opposite to that of the upper elevator in order that the steering devices will be directed in opposite directions to keep the net taut.

Accordingly, while the ship is traveling through the water, the nets at opposite sides of the ship will extend rearwardly and outwardly from opposite sides thereof and thus cause torpedoes to strike the nets at an angle and either deflect the same, or explode the torpedoes away from the side of the ship.

It is believed the details of construction, operation and manner of use of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

l. A ship protector comprising a net extending longitudinally at each side of the ship, means at the bow of the ship for winding and unwinding the nets thereon and providing a connection for towing the nets through the water, the rear ends of the nets being free, and guide means at the rear ends of the nets for steering the same outwardly from the ship.

2. A ship protector comprising a net extending longitudinally at each side of the ship, means at the bow of the ship for winding and unwinding the nets thereon and providing a connection for towing the nets through the water, the rear ends of the nets being free, and a paravane at the rear ends of the nets adapted to maintain the nets spaced from the ship.

3. A ship protector comprising a net extending longitudinally at each side of the ship, means at the bow of the ship for winding and unwinding the nets thereon and providing a connection for towing the nets through the water, the rear ends of the nets being free, and a paravane at the upper and lower edges of each net and embodying means for stretching the net vertically and also for maintaining the net outwardly with respect to the ship.

4. A ship protector comprising a net extending longitudinally at each side of the ship, means at the bow of the ship for winding and unwinding the nets thereon and providing a connection for towing the nets through the water, the rear ends of the nets being free, and a. paravane at the upper and lower edges of each net and embodying vertical and horizontal steering vanes adapted to stretch the net vertically and also for maintaining the net outwardly with respect to the ship.

CHARLES T. RUSS. 

